Senate rejects Rand Paul amendment on border security

(L-R) Sens. John McCain, Charles Schumer and Lindsey Graham sit in the House chamber prior to President Obama's State of the Union speech on Capitol Hill in Washington, February 12, 2013. (REUTERS/Charles Dharapak/Pool)

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WASHINGTON — The Senate voted to table an amendment to the immigration bill sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul that would have required a vote from congress affirming that border security measures were working before undocumented immigrants could be granted legal status.

Seven Republicans joined Democrats in voting to table the bill: Sens. Susan Collins, Bob Corker, and Lisa Murkowski, and the four Gang of Eight Republicans: Sens. Marco Rubio, John McCain, Jeff Flake and Lindsey Graham.

Republicans are seeking to increase the level of border security required in the reform bill before persons in the country illegally can gain citizenship. Under Paul’s amendment, congress would have to vote once a year for five years on whether the border security was sufficient, and if they judged it lacking, the legalization process would be put on hold for a year.

“We desperately need immigration reform,” Paul said on the floor before the vote. “But part of fixing the system is fixing our broken borders.”